Massaging device.



H. L. HOARD.

MASSAGING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 2a, 1913. RENEWED JUNE 8, 1914.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

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H. L. HQARD.

MASSAGING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1913. RENEWED JUNE 8, 1914. 1]. 11. Q9 o 61 Woman;

7H5 NOR/215 PETERS 1:0,PH010-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D. C.

HALBEBT L. HOABZD, OF FORT ATKINSON, WISCONSIN.

MASSAGING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 31915.

Application filed May 26, 1913, Serial No. 769,782. Renewed June 8, 1914. Serial No. 843,907.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HALBERT L. HOARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Atkinson, county of Jefferson, and State of l/Visconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Massaging Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in a massaging device, or apparatus for applying massage treatment to a persons back, and the same is explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section thereof, Fig. 2 is a plan view, and Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical section of the adjustable platform upon which my apparatus is supported.

Like parts are identified by the same reference numerals throughout the several views.

1 is a rocker. The rocker 1 is supported at its respective sides from the slidable plat,- form 2 through a pair of brackets 3, and a pair of coiled springs 4. One end of each of said springs 4 is rigidly clamped to one of the vertical sides of one of the brackets 3 by the clamping plate 5, and the opposite ends of said springs are secured to the bottom 6 of the rocker by the clamping members 7. The brackets 3 are held in place upon the slidable platform 2 by movable holders 8, 8, extending across the slidable platform and over the brackets 3, 3, their respective ends turning short angles terminating in the slidable platform 2. These movable holders 8, 8, when opened outwardly, release said rocker so that it may be removed. The taking away of the rocker allows the standard 19 to be lowered so that the springs 21 are released and the number of them may be increased or diminished at the will of the operator, said springs being attached to removable rods 23 and 24. Another purpose of the holders 8, 8, is to hold the rocker rigidly against the slidable platform 2 and thus prevent the oscillations of the operator from moving the base 3 of the rocker forward and backward in a disagreeable manner. It will be understood that when the rocker 1 is thus supported from the brackets 3, the resiliency of the springs 4 is such as to permit the rocker 1 to be oscillated freely forwardly and backwardly by a person sitting thereon.

9 is an extendable standard which is rigidly fixed at its lower end to the platform 10, and is provided with a plurality of foot rests 11, upon any one of which the operator is free to place his feet when using the rocker.

12 is the back of the chair, from the upper horizontal bar 13 of which is suspended one or more thicknesses of canvas 14, which extend down and are connected with the lower portion of the rocker at or near the upper surface of the cushion 15, the space between the horizontal bar 13, of the back, and the cushion 15 being left open for the reception of said canvas and also for the free movement of the massage rollers 16. The massage rollers 16 are pivotally supported from the slidable platform 2 through the hori zontal shaft 17, shaft-retaining member 18, arms 19, and members 20, 20, with which members 20 said rollers 16 are revolubly connected, and said rollers 16 are caused to bear with a yielding pressure against the canvas 14 by the spiral springs 21, said springs 21 being movably connected at one end to said arms 19 through the transversely arranged removable bar 22 and rod 23, and at their opposite ends with said slidable platform 2 through the removable rod 24 and rod-retaining lugs 25. Thus it is obviousthat when a person is sitting upon the cushion 15 of the rocker, he may, by pressing his feet against the foot-rest, move backwardly and forwardly, when the rollers 16 will be caused to, traverse upwardly and downwardly along the users back, while the pressure of the rollers 16 is communicated to the back of the person through said canvas 14.

As ameans for manually increasing or decreasing the pressure of the rollers against the operators back, I have provided two levers 26, 26, the lower ends of which are connected with the-shaft 17, while they eX- tend across and arefastened to the respective arms 19 at the point 27, whereby it is obvious that by pressing downwardly upon the upper ends of..the levers 26, the pressure of the rollers 16 against the back of the user will be increased, and by pressing upwardly, diminished, so that each user may increase or diminish the pressure of the rollers against his back, as suits his convenience or as circumstances require.

It will be understood that when my apparatus is in use, the slidable platform 2 is drawn rearwardly, as shown in Fig. 1, until the blocks 28 rest upon the floor, whereby the apparatus is retained in a fixed or stationary position while being used. When, however, the operator is through using the apparatus, the platform 2 is moved forwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3, whereby the wedge-shaped members 29 on the respective sides of the platform are caused to bear upon the platform 10, and whereby the slidable platform is raised free from contact with the floor, as shown in Fig. 3, when the entire apparatus rests upon the supporting casters or rollers 80, whereby the apparatus may be conveniently rolled from one place to another as circumstances require. The members 20, from which the rollers 16 are revolubly supported, are respectively connected with the upper ends of the arms 19 through the transversely arranged bar 31 by a plurality of bolts 32, as shown in Fig. 2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the described class, the combination of a rocker, comprising a seat, a back member and a supporting means upon which the seat is adapted to be oscillated, of a plurality of massage rollers, means for yieldingly applying the pressure of said rollers against a persons back, and additional means for manually increasing or diminishing the pressure of said rollers.

2. In an apparatus of the described class, the combination of a rocker, a flexible fabric, suspended from the back member of said rocker, oscillating means upon which said rocker is adapted to be supported, a plurality of massage rollers, and means for yieldingly applying the pressure of said rollers through said flexible fabric to the back of the operator.

I 3. In an apparatus of the described class, the combination of a rocker, a flexible fabric,

. suspended from the back member of said rocker, oscillating means upon which said rocker is adapted to be supported, a pluthrough said flexible fabric to the back of the operator, and means, controlled by the operator, for manually increasing or diminishing the pressure of said rollers upon the back of the operator.

4:. In an apparatus of the described class, the combination with a rocker of a stationary platform, a slidable platform, supported upon said stationary platform, a wedgeshaped member interposed between the respective sides of said slidable platform and said stationary platform, contact.bearings connected with said slidable platform, adapted, as the latter is withdrawn from said stationary platform, to rest upon the floor, said wedge-shaped members being adapted by a reverse movement of said slidable platform to raise said bearings free from contact with the fioor, a plurality of massage rollers, and means for yieldingly applying the pressure of said rollers to the back of a person sitting in said rocker.

5. In an apparatus of the described class, the combination of a rocker, comprising a seat, a back member, and a supporting means upon which the seat is adapted to be oscillated, of a plurality of massage rollers, means for yieldingly applying the pressure of said rollers against a persons back, and a foot-rest, located in front of said rocker.

6. In an apparatus of the described class, the combination of a rocker comprising a seat and a back member, adapted to be oscillated upon brackets, means for holding said brackets rigidly in place, a plurality of massage rollers, means for yieldingly applying a variable pressure by said rollers through a flexible fabric against a persons back, and an extendable foot-rest, adjustable to persons of different height, located in front of said rocker, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. A massage apparatus including the combination with an operators chair of a massage roller a resilient actuating and supporting member, and means for reciprocating such roller along the back of the operator.

8. The combination with a chair having a flexible member comprising the back thereof, and means for reciprocating a massage roller longitudinally on said member.

9. The combination with a chair having a flexible member comprising the back thereof, and means for reciprocating a massage roller longitudinally on said member, said chair being movable, and said roller being operatively connected to receive motion therefrom.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HALBERT L. HOARD.

Witnesses:

WALTER J. HUPPERT, CLEO BREWER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

